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Activists block Shell’s headquarters in Aberdeen

January 16, 2020, by Offshore Energy Today

Activists from Extinction Rebellion movement have blocked an entrance to oil major Shell’s headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Image source: Extinction Rebellion Scotland

Early this morning, Extinction Rebellion Scotland blocked all entrances to the headquarters of the oil giant on Altens Farm Rd in Aberdeen.

Activists have secured the entrances with lock on equipment and the main entrance with XR Scotland’s big purple boat, named Amal Gous. They intend to stay there all day, with the aim of shutting the building down to disrupt business as usual.

This action is part of Rig Rebellion 2.0, a two-week long campaign by XR Scotland targeting the fossil fuel industry and the institutions which prop it up, demanding a “just transition lead by a legally binding citizens’ assembly.”

“We want Shell and the rest of the fossil fuel industry to tell the truth about their role in the climate crisis, to halt their billion dollar misinformation and lobbying campaign to undermine belief in climate change; to stop any action which could harm their profits; to erode any policies not in their favor,” XR said in a statement on Thursday.

BBC quoted a Shell spokesperson as saying: “As a company, we agree that urgent action is needed. What will really accelerate change is effective policy, investment in technology innovation and deployment, and changing customer behavior.

“As we move to a lower-carbon future, we are committed to playing our part, by addressing our own emissions and helping customers to reduce theirs – because we all have a role to play.”

The Rig Rebellion 2.0 campaign kicked off in early January with activists climbing a Valaris-owned jack-up rig in Dundee harbor. The rig is contracted by Shell.

The activists planned to stay on the rig for as long as possible to stop the rig leaving the harbor, but the protest ended on the same day due to “unsafe weather conditions.” Following the protest, seven people were arrested and charged in connection with an “occupation” at a drilling rig at the Port of Dundee.

Offshore Energy Today Staff

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